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James understood his incredible run of putting up 10+ points was threatened. In that crucial moment, however, it didn't concern him.

The correct basketball play involved passing the ball – so he did. Consequently, the legendary streak came to an end.

James's staggering run of 1,297 consecutive NBA regular season outings scoring at least ten was snapped on Thursday night, when basketball's greatest scorer had only eight total points in the Lakers' 123-120 victory over Toronto. He provided the clutch helper, finding Rui Hachimura to knock down a three-point shot to win the game.

“Zero,” James stated in response regarding the conclusion of his run. “The important thing is we won.”

An Unselfish Decision Seals the Win

LeBron had the chance to tried to secure the game – and preserved his record – on the final possession, yet he opted to make the extra pass to Hachimura on the wing. Hachimura sank it, and James celebrated triumphantly.

It's about playing basketball correctly. Always make the smart play,” James remarked. That is my philosophy. That is the way I was taught to play. I’ve done that for two decades.”

He is fully cognizant of his point total he's scored at all times,” said the team's head coach JJ Redick. He acted just as he has so many times.”

The Streak's Closing Chapter

He returned to the floor one last time with just over five minutes left, the result along with the historic run on the line. He had six points on a 3-for-15 performance at that juncture.

He got a bucket at under two minutes remaining to tie the game and missed a shot at one minute to go that might have gotten him to double digits.

He avoided taking another shot – though the opportunity was there. Austin Reaves found him with a few seconds left, yet LeBron decided to dish it off instead.

The basketball deities, if you do it the proper way, they tend to bless you,” Redick added.

The History of a Staggering Streak

The record began back in January 2007. It was easily the longest such streak the league has ever seen: MJ previously held a streak of 866 straight double-digit scoring games, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had 787, and The Mailman had the fourth-longest run at 575.

He is such a team-oriented player,” said Lakers center Jake LaRavia.

He simply plays the sport. He could have shot but because of who he is on the court and just who he is as an individual, he executed the team play, dished to Hachimura and we won the game.”

Getting to ten points was usually an afterthought long before the final period. Throughout his run, he had reached ten points by the start of the fourth over twelve hundred times prior to Thursday.

But two of those rare single-digit games after three periods took place just days before: He had nine going into the fourth against Dallas on 28 November, followed by six points before the fourth quarter versus the Suns earlier in the week.

He succeeded in keep the streak alive against the Suns. One game later, it concluded – and he celebrated anyway.

“I always just make the best play. That’s automatic, no matter what,” James declared. When you make the unselfish play, the game gods forever giving back to me.”